Champions Trophy: ICC official to arrive in Pakistan to inspect venues

KARACHI: ICC pitch consultant Andy Atkinson is arriving in Pakistan tonight on a 4-day visit to inspect venues for the 2025 Champions Trophy.

According to sources, Andy Atkinson will visit three venues, starting from Karachi to inspect playing facilities. After Karachi, he will also visit Lahore and Rawalpindi.

Last month, a three-member ICC team had also inspected the three venues. The event is planned in February 2025, and the PCB has already shared the draft schedule with ICC with matches at these three venues.

It is also expected that during the visit, Andy Atkinson will also share his input with local ground staff for the preparation of wickets for the mega event.

Remember, Lahore, Karachi, and Rawalpindi were selected by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) as the venues for the event, which is scheduled for February.

The eight-team tournament is anticipated to span over two weeks, although the exact dates have not yet been confirmed. The PCB settled on the venues and the schedule following a visit from an ICC team to conduct an inspection.

The initial draft includes all matches, including those involving India, being played in Pakistan.

Typically, after the host board submits the draft schedule, it goes through several revisions conducted by different teams within the ICC. The revised schedule is shared with the broadcaster and other boards for review before finalisation.

The next official ICC meeting is the global body's annual conference in July.

This event will mark the return of the ICC Champions Trophy after an eight-year hiatus, with its last occurrence in 2017, when Pakistan emerged victorious by defeating India in the final.

The teams confirmed for the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy include: Pakistan (hosts), India, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Afghanistan, England, and Bangladesh.